


Bubbles

by SeaSaltCaramel



Series: Pearly Pinks [2]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:07:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21813427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeaSaltCaramel/pseuds/SeaSaltCaramel
Summary: She mainly sits as Pink complains then cries. One day she decides that she wants Pink to smile, even if it’s just once.
Relationships: Pink Diamond/Pink Diamond's Pearl (Steven Universe)
Series: Pearly Pinks [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1571815
Comments: 5
Kudos: 38





	Bubbles

**Author's Note:**

> Had some issues with my works, so I had to post this as a separate the story :/

Pink Pearl sits patiently by Pink Diamond’s side as she grumbles in the confines of her room. She wants to gaze out at Homeworld, but keeps her attention fixed on Pink.

A frown comes to her lips.

This has happened many times before.

* * *

After another argument with Blue, Pink had been miserable.

Pearl managed to stop the heavy flow coming from her own eyes, but Pink’s seemed to never end. She’d spent maybe an hour knelt beside her curled up form, and attempted to dab them away. 

She’d drenched every cloth.

Pearl remained at her side as she continued to cry, a gentle hand idly dancing through large, pink curls. She  looked fixedly out the opening of Pink’s room all the while, watching the protruding lights of warp pads appear and vanish.

Then an idea came to mind:  Maybe Pink just needed to get out and focus on something else besides the idea of having her own colony. Maybe she needed to have a little fun.

Pink spent the next minute hyping herself up, fists clenched and shaky in her lap. She really shouldn’t be so afraid if all she wants is to make Pink happy.

Her voice was just above a whisper. “We could have a look around Homeworld, my diamond.”

A bit of a selfish request, she’d only been able to see the other diamonds rooms and glimpses from the warp light to Pink’s room from The Reef.

“Perhaps you will find—“ 

Pink groaned, shaking her head as best she could in her fetal position on the floor. “I’ve lived here my entire life, Pearl. I’ve seen it all already, many times over.”

Pearl quieted, shifting so she could hug her knees close and appear smaller. “My apologies, my diamond. I should have considered—“

Pink, unfortunately, wasn’t done.  “There is nothing here that can interest me, not anymore.” Pearl watched warily as she sat up, tears still running but the streams have thinned.

“That’s why I want to—“ Pink stopped herself, glancing at Pearl and tensing. She moved so that Pearl couldn’t see her, but she could tell she was wiping away the tears.

Pearl latched onto the brief vulnerability, to the pain. It hurt her just to know how much her diamond is suffering.

Pink cleared her throat before turning back to Pearl with a glare so sharp she wished she could just sink into the floor and disappear.

“Anywhere is better than here,” she growled, and that’s that.  Pink doesn’t so much as look at her for another few days, and Pearl stopped looking out the window.

* * *

From the day she was placed at Pink’s side things have always been like this.

A colony. Pink wants a colony.

Not just a colony, though. Pink wants _different_ , Pink wants _change_ , Pink wants... _not_ Homeworld.

Pearl knows she can’t give her exactly what she wants, but after seeing Pink look so dejected, so angry, and so tired time and time again, she’s willing to try.

Pink was currently in what Pearl likes to call her “I temporarily give up” stage. It takes maybe a hundred— no— two hundred three-hour long arguments with the other diamonds before she, mind her language, cracks and puts her efforts at a complete standstill.

At times like these she’ll silently do her basic duties as a diamond with little to no passion. She also allows Pearl to do whatever she politely requests.

She hasn’t gotten that tour of Homeworld yet, and probably never will. She can’t bring herself to ask for it, not after discovering the deep hatred Pink carries for her own home.  Pearl doesn’t dwell on that though, because she’s found something  _new_ , something  _diffierent_.

Something just for Pink.

* * *

Pearl looks over to her diamond every few seconds, gingerly. She’s lying on a platform that rose from the floor on her command. She doesn’t know how or why it happens, but Pink gets this pleased look on her face afterwards, so Pearl stashes her inquires away.

“My diamond,” she calls cheerfully, always with a smile.

Pink turns her head, meets her eyes (dim, not the usually bright pink. Pearl hopes they didn’t lock her in that tower again), then faces the ceiling again.

“Yes, Pearl?” Pearl suppresses a shudder. Her voice is toneless and strained. She sounds empty and lost, as if there’s nowhere for her to go, trapped in a loop of ache.

Pearl ignores the anger that ignites in her. Her diamond isn’t guiltless for the current state of her feelings, some could say she brought this pain upon herself, but Pearl won’t believe it, not solely about Pink.

“I think there is a slight problem with my gem. May we visit The Reef?”

Pink’s demeanor changes as they exit her room. She holds herself a little higher, chin up, chest out. She walks like a commander. Like a diamond.

But her brows constantly flex in agitation, and she can’t keep her fingers from curling into her palms, trembling.

Pearl tries her best to look unbothered. A perturbed pearl, clearly unhappy beside not only a gem of high status, but a _diamond_ , is no good.

When they arrive at The Reef, Pink immediately opens up every door, a clear opening made directly to the healing chamber.

There’s a room two halls before it, one specifically for accessorizing your pearl. It’s full of wands and fans, all over emphasized with ribbons and sequins.

Pearl can’t help staring. Their beauty mesmerizing. So much detail and all for mere pearls such as herself. It fills her with a warm feeling.

Pink keeps a certain pace, walking with intended purpose rather than of her own personal accord. Pearl falls to a walk just slower than Pink’s, and soon she’s far ahead, nearly to the chamber.

Pearl moves quickly and quietly, making her way back to the accessory room. She searches for and eventually grabs a wand with a cup-like head before near sprinting back to her diamond’s side. 

It’s teal, golden stripes winding down the handle and extending outward in swirls, leaving minimal room for the grip. Clearly, this one is more of an add-on to better compliment a pearl than an actual ribbon wand with use. Not that it matters, Pearl only cares for the circle at the end.

It’s an exhausting process. Once she reaches her initial spot close to Pink, she was already in the polishing expanse. The healing chamber is directly after, so she can’t rely on Pink being ahead of her again.

Pearl peers up at her. Pink seems transfixed on one location, and despite that being somewhat disturbing, it gives Pearl the courage to step away. She takes maybe three paces backward, pausing to access Pink, who hasn’t noticed and is still walking.

A soft exhale of relief dares to leave her mouth, but she holds back the ball of air.

Pearl’s attention is repeatedly snagged by the gorgeous architecture of small and large fountains and the many shelves of colored powders, but she eventually finds what she’s looking for. There’s a large cabinet stuffed with glass bottles full of the pale blue cleanser made specially for furbishing pearls. Pearl grabs the one closest to the bottom, about half-full.

With a quick glance, Pink can be seen just about to reach the chamber.

Frantically, Pearl pops open the bottle and spills the liquid into one of the smaller fountains, watching anxiously as it begins to foam. The suds settle after little time, the water now blue and glittering. She shoves the round edge of the wand into the solution, grinning when she notices the rainbow-like film inhabiting the opening where the ribbon would have shot out.

“Pearl?” She near drops the wand when Pink’s call echoes into her room.

“Ah—coming!” Pearl walks in some awkward mix of briskly and carefully, holding the wand in front of her as to not break the colorful film. It was very fragile, but she didn’t know why.

Pink is... oddly calm, the weight of her stare light.

It only lasts a moment.

She takes notice of Pearl’s gaudy wand and raises a brow. “Why did you really ask me here, Pearl?” Life doesn’t return to her even as her voice grows firm. She looks weary and disappointed, something Pearl never wanted to ever be directed at her, but if she could just _show_ her..

“Did you just want some flimsy accessories?” Her volume spikes, frustration mixing in with confusion. “Pearl, you need to learn that sometimes you can’t have everything you want.”

“M-my diamond, I.. I just wanted to—“ Pink puts her hand up and Pearl shuts her mouth instantly.

“And that—“ she motions to the ribbon wand. “—Give that to me. Clearly you don’t deserve it if all you can manage to do is waste my time.” Pearl winces. The words sound funny in Pink’s mouth, like they aren’t hers. Familiar too. Pearl’s certain she’s heard them before, only from someone else.

She isn’t given time to reminisce. Pink about stomps over and snatches the wand from her hand in a single swipe. Pearl shuts her eyes, not wanting to see what happens next, not wanting to process the anger on Pink’s face, not wanting to know she’s a failure who can’t even carry out her one and only task.

Pink doesn’t continue to shout however, in fact she’s gone completely silent. Pearl is still tensed up when she lets one eye fall open, the other mimicking when she discerns what had happened.

The force from Pink’s grab pushed the film from the wand, creating what appeared to be hundreds of clear spheres. They drifted calmly through the air, occasionally bumping into each other and reflecting the teal hue of The Reef. They’re as breathtaking as the first time Pearl accidentally made them.

“Pearl..” Pink is tugging on her arm, gaze transfixed on the display. “How? There’s nothing inside...” she reaches out to touch one, but it pops upon contact. She looks where the minuscule droplets fall, searching for something.

“They aren’t like gem bubbles,” Pearl says joyously, watching as the smaller ones burst. Pink‘s head snaps in every direction as it happens, not wanting to miss even a second.

“I never thought there could be so many colors at once,” Pink whispers reposefully, unable to pry her eyes away from the bubbles.

It happens fast. Pink drops hasilty to Pearl’s height, shoving the wand into her face.

“Do it again, Pearl!”

Pearl smiles. “Of course.”

* * *

Pink tries to replicate the splendor on her own, bubbling anything and everything she can. They’re always tinted instead of clear, soley pink instead of a combination of every color in the light, physically unable to compare in beauty.

They can’t return to The Reef as often anymore, not after the other diamonds grew suspicious. They looked at Pink knowingly, but in reality they knew nothing at all. Pearl didn’t glare when Yellow shook her head in disapproval, didn’t cry out in defense of Pink when Blue looked prepared to condemn. She just stood there and endured, just as Pink did.

She knew it would be a while before they could sneak to The Reef again, so on their latest visit Pearl stole a bottle of cleanser, filled it with water from the fountain, and hid it in her gem.

And, just recently, Pink gave Pearl her own wand as a gift, less garish, gold from a ring at the bottom to the tip. It extended outward in pink, the edge circular like the last one. Pink had looked at her so fondly then, Pearl was overjoyed.

And so, any time Pink was scorned by the diamonds Pearl blew bubbles.

Any time she was treated like a lesser diamond and promptly felt unimportant, Pearl blew bubbles.

Any time she made the impulsive decision that she was unloved, Pearl blew bubbles.

* * *

Pink messed up again. Well, ‘messed up’ is subjective. Pearl found it to be quite enjoyable.

The other diamonds always overlook Pink’s good intentions. _Always._

She knew the Gilalite colony planned on terminating those poor organics, so she decided to put a stop to it. 

They were unlike anything Pearl had ever seen, it’s no wonder Pink took an immediate shine to them. Vibrant and uncorrupt ( _cute_ , as Pink described, the same title she gives Pearl at times). She loved them just as Pink did.

Pearl had been so happy when Blue Diamond agreed to let her keep them. She adored every squeaky noise they made, and discovered new colors every moment she spent with them. They were a very affectionate species, dangling from Pink’s limbs or cuddling close to Pearl whenever they got the chance.

The merriment doesn’t last, because for Pink it never does.

She let them loose in the ballroom. She meant well of course, Pink just wanted to share the wonders of these creatures with everyone, but they were too excited, began frantically latching onto every gem in sight. Yellow had been furious, Blue had dragged Pink away. Pearl tried to run after them, but one of the organics wrapped itself around her, from her feet to her neck. She couldn’t move, and eventually tumbled to the floor, helplessly watching the ballroom doors shut, separated from Pink.

Hours upon hours passed, and Pearl paced and paced, pausing only to glance at the door. It’d been so long, _too_ long. They wouldn’t keep her away forever, would they? _Could they?_ The thought had Pearl teetering. It wasn’t long before the stress became too much, so she began dancing to relieve herself. It was a lifetime of erratic and turbulent movements.

Until the door flew open and Pink came stumbling in, rushing towards Pearl so quickly that she couldn’t even let out a bewildered _“my diamond”_ in shaky relief.

(She looked so gray, so exhausted, hobbling to Pearl like she was some beacon of hope. She’d be wrong, but Pearl would never stop trying to be that for her.)

Stout tears poured from her eyes as she scooped Pearl into her arms, sinking to the floor and gripping her tightly. Pink began blubbering, attempting to speak and sob at the same time. Pearl resolved to stroke her back, murmuring smooth reassurances into her hair.

“Can you,” she begins when the sniveling finally stops, voice worn and broken. “Can you make the bubbles again?”

Pearl tenses at her stammering. It’s not just weariness anymore, it’s _fear_. She halts her own tremors, forces herself to be strong enough for the both of them because she can’t allow Pink to fall apart and have no one there to pick up the pieces.

“Anything, Pink.” It’s difficult to peel away from her, to leave Pink cold and alone, even if it’s just for a moment.

Usually, when this happens, Pearl will be content with watching Pink’s emotions shift. Observing how her frown shifts into a smile and the way her eyes sparkle. Her eyes don’t change, though. They remain glossed over and weepy, holding Pearl in her lap and glowering at the sight she used to hold so dear.

That’s not what she’s mad at though, Pearl knows that, so she just huddles a little closer, hoping the minimal comfort she has to provide is enough as the bubbles tinged with the pale color of Pink’s room drift overhead.

**Author's Note:**

> Pearl totally figured out how to make bubbles while playing around in the fountains
> 
> (And idk if there is actually a ‘pearl polishing room’ in The Reef, but there is now)  
> (I also don’t know if Homeworld gems have seen regular bubbles before. I was halfway through writing this when I thought about it but decided to finish anyways)


End file.
